


Road To Recovery

by Creej



Series: Shattered World [2]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Gen, Pre-Slash, Support Groups, recovery from infidelity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-14 07:40:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13585407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creej/pseuds/Creej
Summary: This is a timestamp to (You've Blown It All) Sky High set immediately after Neal confronts Elizabeth.





	Road To Recovery

Neal paused on the stoop, the image of the pictures scattered over the coffee table, of Elizabeth's angry expression still in his mind. He felt another upswell of anger at the justifications. Yes, Peter was dedicated to his job - Neal knew that better than most - but that didn't mean Elizabeth had the right to do what she'd done.

He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Moz as he made his way to his car, asking him to start collecting Peter's things at the first available opportunity.

'And where will I be taking them?'

'To the loft. He'll be staying with me until further notice.'

'Are you sure that's wise?'

Neal sighed as he sent a reply. 'He needs me Moz. After everything he's done for me, I can't just leave him.' He'd just sent the text when his phone rang. Moz.

"Listen Neal, I understand. Really. The Suit's a good man and what she did...what's she's doing is not anything anyone deserves." He paused then went on, all business. "No doubt she and her paramour will take advantage of the Suit's absence and go out on the town. I'll start gathering his things while they're out. Of course some of his will be obvious..."

"If you're not sure, take it," Neal said. "If it's actually hers, she can come to me to get it back. Oh, and don't forget the safe."

"Of course not," Moz said. "Where and how easy?" Neal told him. "Oh, those are cake," Moz said. He seemed to hesitate. "Has he decided what he's going to do?"

Neal's mouth quirked in a smile. "He asked if you handled divorces," he said. "No offense, but I suggested he go with someone more reputable."

"She'll take him to the cleaners," Moz said.

"Not if she wants to keep her business and reputation," Neal said.

"Blackmail?"

"Maybe a little," Neal said. "I told her she wasn't to contest the terms of the divorce, that she was to stay away from his salary and his pension. If she tries anything either of us consider underhanded then those pictures and the story behind them go public."

"This is New York. People really don't care if people sleep around," Moz said.

"Depends on how you spin the story," Neal said. "And you know I can spin a good story. Wife of a well respected, dedicated FBI agent uses that dedication as an excuse to cheat on him. A man who's job it is to find their valuables should they go missing - how well do you think that would go over with her usual clients?"

"Point," Moz said. "I still can't believe she'd do something like this."

"Well, from the research I've done, no one really sees it coming," Neal said. "Especially the spouse."

"And you think you can help him?" Moz asked. "You have no experience. Kate never cheated on you."

"I may not have personal experience but I think I found something that will help," Neal said. "The problem will be talking Peter into trying it. He's not big on talking about anything personal to people who know him much less relative strangers." He let out a breath. "I'd better get back," he said. "I don't want to leave him alone too long."

 

He needn't have worried. He met June on her way down from the loft and she laid a hand on his arm, staying him. "He's...going through a difficult time, isn't he?" she asked, clearly concerned. "I've never seen him so...lost."

"He didn't see it coming," Neal said.

"He's lost someone?"

Neal hesitated. He felt bad enough letting Moz in on the situation but he knew he could trust June to be discreet. "It's Elizabeth," he said.

"Oh dear. When?"

"It's not what you think," Neal said. "Though that might have been easier." He dropped his gaze, shaking his head. "She's cheating on him."

"Cheating? Are you sure?"

"Positive," Neal said. "Peter bugged his house when he suspected - audio and video. I saw some of the footage - so did he." He drew a breath. "I hope you don't mind but I'd like him to stay with me for a while."

"No, of course I don't mind, dear," June said. "He obviously can't go home and he shouldn't be alone in some hotel room. If I can do anything to help, you'll let me know?"

"Of course, thank you."

"Well, I'll let you get up there," June said. "But quietly. He's asleep. Poor man was exhausted."

Neal found Peter curled up on the bed, one of June's afghans pulled up around his shoulders, sound asleep but he saw the faint lines of pain etched on his face. "I'll get you through this, Peter," he said softly. He considered the laptop sitting on the table, wondering if Peter had been watching Elizabeth, wondering if he'd seen the confrontation.

Peter turned to his back, reaching for...something...someone beside him. Without thinking, Neal climbed in beside him and grasped his hand. What he didn't expect was to be pulled into Peter's embrace but he wasn't complaining. He allowed himself to enjoy being there with the other man for a few minutes before gently extricating himself, knowing if he stayed too much longer he'd do something they'd both regret. Despite Peter's words, he wasn't that confident in his impulse control and it was best if he removed himself from temptation.

He brought up the feed from the house and saw Elizabeth moving around, gathering up what he assumed were Peter's things, dumping them into trash bags and looking pissed. "If you throw anything away..." he said softly. He carried the laptop out to the terrace and pulled out his phone, hesitating fractionally before he hit the preset. He smiled faintly, seeing her start when the phone rang.

"Burke residence."

"Elizabeth."

"What do you want?" Yep, definitely pissed.

"I'm going to text Moz here in a minute and have him drop by for Peter's things," Neal said. "And I would suggest you make sure everything is intact. He will also be accessing your safe and getting its contents."

"I don't have the combination."

"You really think he needs anyone to tell him?" Neal asked. "I'd do it myself but Peter needs me right now and I don't want him to be alone longer than necessary."

There was a pause and Neal could see her thinking. "So, how long have you been sleeping with him? He couldn't have been working late _all_ those nights."

"I may be a thief, Elizabeth but don't you dare suggest I'd steal someone's spouse. I envied what the two of you seemed to have - wanted that with Kate - and Peter's too honorable a man to even consider doing what you did. I admit to having thought about being with him but I'd never act on it. It takes two willing participants to have an affair and Peter wouldn't have been willing, not when he loved you so much."

"If he hadn't..."

"Shut up Elizabeth," Neal said almost casually, stifling a laugh at her shocked expression.

"How _dare_ you..."

"I was done being your friend, done being nice to you, done being a gentleman around you when I found out what you did to Peter. Or didn't our confrontation earlier tell you that? You don't get to justify yourself - not to me, not to Peter. Now, you'll finish packing his things - _carefully_ \- and you'll have no more contact with him unless I'm present. Am I understood?"

"You're a bastard, Neal Caffrey."

"When I have to be," Neal said. "Answer my question."

"I don't want to see him anyway."

"The feeling's mutual," Neal said. He hung up and texted Moz to let him know Elizabeth was cooperating in regards to Peter's things.

"Neal?"

"What do you need?" Neal asked, seeing Peter at the terrace doors and pushed out a chair in invitation.

"I just..." Peter stopped and sat down. "I don't know. I _need_ this to not be happening."

"I know," Neal said. He laid a hand over Peter's. "Have you given any thought to my suggestion?"

"You know I'm not comfortable talking to strangers about...personal stuff."

"No one's going to know that it's Peter Burke, FBI agent," Neal said. "It's anonymous. No stigma, no one will blame you." He let out a breath. "If you don't want to join then will you at least read? Who knows? You might change your mind." He reached up to caress Peter's face but stopped himself. "I don't know exactly what you're going through, Peter," he said. "So there's only so much I can do. These people...they've been where you are, they understand..." He regarded his friend a moment. "It can't hurt, can it? Just read, okay?"

"All right," Peter said.

Neal gave him a smile and shut down the feed from the house and brought up the website, turning the screen toward him. "While you do that, I'll fix us some lunch. You hungry?"

"A little."

When Neal set a plate next to him, he found Peter absorbed in a story that was remarkably similar to his from what little Neal saw. A law enforcement officer had come home after his shift to find his wife in bed with another man. Peter shook his head. "They're lucky,' he said.

"What?"

"Cop busts his wife in bed with another man," Peter said. "He was still in uniform, still had his service weapon." He glanced up. "He turned around and left."

"They _were_ lucky," Neal said. "Is he a new member?"

"If I'm reading this right, he's been there for a while," Peter said. "Low member number." He shook his head. "There are so _many_..."

"And I think they can help you," Neal said gently. "If you let them." He recalled some of the posts he'd read, the pain, anger, the hurt so obvious it was impossible to doubt - the same things he'd felt from Peter a few days earlier.

"I wouldn't know what name to use," Peter said. "Unlike you, I don't have a dozen aliases handy."

Neal smiled, relieved - Peter was thinking about it. "Well, how about...LawmanButch?" he asked. "Or just Lawman? As near as I can tell, a lot of the usernames are descriptive. It doesn't have to be literal..."

 

Peter continued reading throughout the day and Neal gave him the space he needed but stayed close by, either reading or sketching until dinnertime. June stopped by at one point to see how he was doing as Neal prepared dinner.

"I found a website, a support group for him," he said, gazing at his partner. "He knows now that he's not alone with what he's going through, that there are others who understand...better than I do."

"I still can't believe it," June said. "I never thought she could do something like this. She always seemed so kind, so loving..."

"Fifteen years...and he's wondering if it was all a lie," Neal said.

"Oh, before I forget, Mozzie dropped his things off," June said. "He said it was mostly clothes and whatever was in the safe. He also said there would probably be more."

"I'll help him go through it and see what he wants to keep," Neal said. "I've already cleared out space in the closet for him."

June regarded him knowingly. "You love him," she said.

Neal wasn't surprised at her insight. "I won't rush him," he said. "He's not ready. Won't be for a while."

"It'll take a long time, won't it?" June asked.

"From what I've gathered, it takes two to five years," Neal said. "That's what the collective experience of that group says."

"And you're willing to wait that long?"

"I waited four years for Kate," Neal said in reply. He let out a breath. "Join us for dinner? There's plenty."

"That's sweet of you dear but I have a previous engagement," June said. "I just wanted to see how he was doing." She gave him a smile. "I think he's in good hands." After giving him a kiss on the cheek, she left.

When Neal went out on the terrace, he saw Peter typing and felt relief wash over him.

 

Peter looked up, faintly startled when Neal set a plate beside him. When he'd started reading, he'd been reluctant and unsure about pouring his heart out to people he'd probably never meet but after reading some of their stories, he knew Neal was right - they understood. Taking refuge in the anonymity, he told his story - somewhat abbreviated - and felt a little lighter when he finished, more hopeful, more certain that he could get through it.

"You need to eat," Neal said.

Peter rubbed his face." I know, it's just..." He sighed. "I saw a few references to what they call the infidelity diet. I guess I'm on it whether or not I want to be."

"Then I'll just have to make sure you don't stay on it," Neal said. "I'm very good at pestering you into doing something." He grinned when Peter chuckled.

"More than what was good for me probably," Peter said.

"But you can't deny the results," Neal countered. "And this time it's not even of questionable legality."

Peter sobered but a smile still touched his mouth. "Thank you...again," he said. "I really can't say it enough."

"I told you, anything I can do," Neal said. He nudged Peter with a foot. "Now eat."

 

Later that night, they again shared the bed - Neal never did ask June about a cot - and again, Neal took the role of comforter, protector as Peter lay in his arms. Always in tune to subtle shifts in emotion, the smallest shifts in body language, Neal could tell that Peter was less emotionally unbalanced, more at ease now that he'd unburdened himself to those who truly understood. He knew it would be a long road to recovery for his partner but he was determined to stick with him until he was the strong, confident man he'd grown to first respect then love - changed by the experience of course but still essentially the same. He closed his eyes and let himself drift to sleep to the sound of Peter's steady breathing.

**Author's Note:**

> As noted in the original fic, the website referred to actually exists - SurvivingInfidelity.com. The example Peter tells Neal about is the bare bones story of an actual member of the site - it actually happened. Due to the anonymity of the site and respect for the members, I will not divulge the username of the member. Again, if anyone is dealing with this issue, I refer them to this site. It's free to use but they gladly take donations.


End file.
